New documents shed light on an incident where seven firefighters got trapped and burned on the Brook Fire in Shasta County.
A preliminary Cal Fire report says fire conditions intensified sharply around 5 p.m. July 18 on the section of fireline where the Vina Helitack crew was working.
The changing conditions sparked multiple spot fires in the area.
A fire captain and six firefighters suffered minor burns.
They received treatment at the fire and were taken to Redding-area hospitals for evaluation, according to the report. All were released that evening.
The Tehama County-based Vina Helitack is a specialized helicopter crew trained for rapid initial attacks in remote or hard-to-reach terrain.
The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center classifies the Brook Fire incident as an entrapment.
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group defines an entrapment as a situation in which fire behavior unexpectedly puts personnel in a life-threatening position because escape routes or safety zones are inadequate or compromised.
The Cal Fire report is based on information gathered during the first 12 hours of the review and could be revised.
It says investigators identified no recommendations for immediate corrective action during that initial period.
Cal Fire says a full review is underway to determine whether policies were followed and identify potential safety improvements.
The Brook Fire started July 18 near Bella Vista, northeast of Redding, and has burned over 500 acres. It was 30% contained as of 1:15 p.m. July 20, according to Cal Fire.
The fire’s cause remained under investigation.
